Kidnapped
by Immortal Spud Thief
Summary: Multi-chaptered story. Bad title as always. A serial killer who kidnapps women with blonde hair and brown eyes takes Nikki. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

**I decided to try my hand at another multi-chaptered fic but this time I'm going to try to make it angsty...but knowing me it'll probably turn out light and fluffy. This is going to be my trial run for an angst filled multi-chapter as I've never done a proper one before. :D**

**Summary: A serial killer targets women with blonde hair and brown eyes. He takes Nikki. This is the events during and after the abduction. (Bare with me, no idea where this is going at all)**

**Enjoy**

**xxx**

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**On a rainy night in London** Nikki Alexander walked down the empty street and in the direction of her car. She had been at the lab when she had got the call telling her of a crime scene that needed her expertise. Pulling out her car keys Nikki went to open her car door when she heard a noise behind her, turning her head slightly she frowned at her own jumpiness and turned back to the car. Suddenly a figure clad in dark clothing came up behind her and clamped a cloth over her face, Nikki struggled and tried to pull away but the tall figure held her even tighter until the chloroform on the cloth got into Nikki's system and she became limp.

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"Harry where's Nikki?" Leo asked as he walked through the lab into the direction of his office. The younger man looked up from the evidence he was bent over and nodded towards the lab doors.

"She was called to a scene about" he checked his watch "two hours ago" he finished as he looked back down at the evidence scattered over the table, running one hand over his face as he tried to piece it together in his mind.

"Okay" Leo nodded as he checked the time as well "She's on late shift anyway and it's time you got home"

"I just need to do this" Harry replied not looking up from his work as Leo frowned and sighed loudly and pointedly. "Okay okay I'm going home" Harry sighed as he looked up and smiled at Leo "Really, I am going"

"I'll believe it when I see it" Leo mumbled as he shook his head and walked into his office getting ready to go home himself.

A few hours later and Harry groaned as a harsh ringing broke through his sleep. Burying his head deeper in his pillow and pulling the duvet further up his body he tried to ignore the noise of his home phone. He sighed when the ringing stopped but groaned loudly as his mobile started to vibrate loudly on his bedside table. Deciding that it must be quite important for both his phones to be ringing, Harry reached out a hand from under his duvet and picked up his still vibrating phone.

"Hello?"

"Harry is Nikki with you?" came Leo's concerned voice down the phone and Harry sighed, trying to clear his head from sleep.

"With me?" he asked 'I wish' he thought "Um…No, why?" he asked, wondering why Leo would think Nikki was with him in the middle of the night.

"She didn't turn up at the scene she was called to" Leo explained and Harry sat up slightly in his bed.

"What? Where is she?" Harry asked, slightly panicked

"We don't know" Leo replied "Hold on"

Harry heard Leo move the phone away from his ear and the younger man climbed quickly out of bed and pulled some clothes out of his wardrobe before looking at the time, it was almost midnight. He pulled on his jeans and a shirt before running his hand through his hair and walked out of his bedroom.

"Harry they've found her car" Leo said into his ear as Harry grabbed his jacket and car keys "It's where Nikki parked it, the keys are in the car door but there's no sign of Nikki"

Harry sighed loudly as he opened his own car door and climbed in.

"I'm on my way"

"Right" Leo replied and hung up the phone. Harry threw his mobile onto the passenger seat next to him and gripped the steering wheel tightly until his knuckles went white before starting the car and pulling out of his driveway a rising feeling of dread filling him.

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"What have they found?" Harry demanded as he climbed out of his car and Leo walked over to him.

"Nothing new, they're processing the scene now" Leo told him and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder when he didn't respond "Harry, we called her mobile but no-one answered, it just kept ringing. We couldn't hear it anywhere around here and you know she always keeps it on loud so she may have it with her and might be able to ring us"

The younger man turned his head to look at Leo and gave him a short nod before turning in the direction of the lab which was just up the road that they were currently standing in.

"Um…now I'm here I might as well finish with my evidence from earlier" he then turned away from Leo and walked towards the lab. Leo sighed and looked back towards Nikki's car and the Scene of Crime Officers who were processing the scene before walking over to one of the police officers surrounding the crime scene tape.

Harry had to bite back a sudden rush of fear as he sat himself down at his desk, large mug of coffee in one hand and his mobile in the other in case Nikki rang him. He knew this wouldn't happen but he wouldn't give up hope**.**

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**Ideas are much appreciated! :D**

**xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

"Dr Cunningham Professor Dalton we've found something" came a voice from the lab doorway as a young man rushed into the lab. Leo looked up from where he was sitting in his office as he heard the shout and beckoned the young looking man into his office. It had been over twenty-four hours since Nikki had been reported missing and to Leo it looked as though Harry hadn't slept at all.

"Harry's performing an autopsy at the moment" Leo informed the young man "He's trying to keep his mind off the situation"

"We think we've found something" the young man explained "I'm Detective Gibson by the way. I don't know if you've received any of these bodies but there has been a connection found with Dr Alexander's disappearance. In the last few months women have been abducted and murdered in the same M.O, they have all been blonde with brown eyes and in important professions, all abducted when they were either getting in their cars or their houses"

"Murdered?" Leo asked quietly "When and how?"

"Professor Dalton I'm sorry but I'm not authorised to give you that information yet"

"Detective…" Leo started and sat up straighter in his chair but was interrupted by Harry walking into the room.

"Leo I've…" the younger man caught sight of Detective Gibson and Leo saw hope in his face "Have you found her?"

"Dr Cunningham we've found a possible lead" the detective nodded "But I can't divulge any specific details with you or Professor Dalton just yet"

They were interrupted by Gibson's phone ringing and he excused himself from the presence of the two men who he found quite intimidating.

"What leads?" Harry asked Leo as he walked over to the window in Leo's office and leant on the ledge, staring out over a view of London "Leo?" he asked when he didn't get a reply from the older man.

"All he said was that they have found a link between some other cases" Leo supplied for Harry, leaving out some of the details.

"You're leaving things out Leo" Harry sighed "Tell me everything the detective said"

"Harry…"

"_Now Leo_" Harry ground out and left Leo wondering who was the boss in the room.

"In the last few months women with blonde hair and brown eyes have been abducted from outside their homes or cars and murdered" Leo said monotonously and Harry drew in a sharp breath when he heard this.

"Murdered?" he asked quietly and Leo nodded and leant forward, resting his elbows on his desk.

"I couldn't get out of Detective Gibson when and how, he refused to tell me"

"So there's some hope that she's still alive?" Harry whispered and Leo nodded again

"She's a very strong and stubborn woman Harry, Nikki won't go down without a fight"

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"So I bet you are wondering why you are here" came a voice from next to where Nikki was sitting on the floor of a small concrete room. She jumped slightly and a chuckle sounded throughout the room as the lights came on and Nikki winced at the sudden rush of light into her eyes. "Well I'm not going to tell you just yet" the man said as he walked across the room and sat on the only chair in the room. He was about six foot tall, short brown hair and deep penetrating brown eyes that Nikki had to look away from, they seemed to bore into her soul.

"Not in the talking mood?" the man pouted almost childishly and he stood up from his chair and crouched in front of Nikki, taking her chin in his hand and turning her head violently so she was looking him in the eyes, terror obvious in her own. He grinned and leant forward, forcing his lips onto Nikki own, she tried to push him away but he grabbed her hands tightly in his own and dragged her from the floor onto her feet before grinning again and pushing her towards the small bed that was in the corner of the room.

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"Have you found them yet Leo?" Harry called over to his friend as he searched through a filing cabinet for information about possible victims of Nikki's abductor. They had searched the computer databases but had found nothing in their own, now were doing things the old fashioned way as Harry called it.

"Nothing" Leo shook his head and sighed "I don't remember doing any case with the M.O described, not in the past few months anyway"

"Me neither" Harry replied and slammed the drawer shut "Why wont they tell us how and when they were murdered?" he asked quietly almost to himself and Leo walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, which Harry felt almost comforting.

"Maybe because we are too personally involved with it" Leo supplied and shrugged "We'll find out somehow"

"Yeah, when Nikki turns up dead" Harry spat out and pushed past Leo and out of the filing room letting the door slam shut behind him.

Blinking back tears Harry walked quickly out of the lab and into the car park where he climbed into his car intent on going home. He started the car and sped out of the car park and in the direction of his house. When he got home he made a beeline for his fridge where he pulled out a bottle of wine that he and Nikki had opened the last time she had been at his house. He spotted something else at the back of the fridge and pulled out the three cans of beer as well.

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**Well there we go...sorry if they're a bit out of character, I still can't write convincing angst and this fic is hard for me to write. ;)**

**xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

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"Professor Dalton" Detective Gibson said quietly as he knocked on the glass door of Leo's office. The older man looked up slowly from the paper he was reading on his desk and nodded for the young man to enter his office.

"What can I do for you?" Leo asked tiredly, he hadn't been able to sleep well since Nikki had been taken and could only imagine how Harry was, or wasn't, coping what with him being her best friend and maybe something more.

"I've been allowed to tell you about the…condition that the women were found in" Detective Gibson said nervously and looked everywhere but at Leo who he still found quite intimidating even after working with him in the two days since Nikki had been taken.

"Please sit down" Leo directed the young man to a chair and he took it eagerly, ringing his hands not wanting to tell the older man, who everyone knew was close to Nikki, how the other women were found. "Detective?" Leo prompted with a small smile.

"Sorry" the detective mumbled "Um..the women were found exactly a week after they had been taken, strangled and…." he paused and Leo frowned and nodded at him to continue "raped, repeatedly according to the pathologists findings"

"Oh God" Leo whispered to himself and nodded at the young man in front of him "Right....thank you"

Detective Gibson nodded, stood up and exited the office quickly, hating himself for having to deliver the details to a very close friend of Nikki's.

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"Harry can I talk to you for a minute?" Leo asked quietly as Harry opened the door to his house.

"Have they found her?" Harry demanded as he let Leo in and directed him to go into his living room.

"No they haven't but…Detective Gibson was allowed to tell us what condition the women were found in" Leo replied and Harry handed the older man a glass of wine and Leo took it with a nod of his head.

"Do I want to hear it?" Harry asked his friend and he sighed as he leant his back against the sideboard and faced Leo, his own glass of wine in his hand.

"Maybe not" Leo shook his head and glanced out of the window, past Harry's front garden and into the street outside.

"Are you going to tell me?" Harry enquired after a few minutes silence then he sighed and shook his head "Just tell me Leo damn it"

"They were all found a week after they had been taken, strangled and repeatedly raped" Leo said quickly and looked Harry in the eyes seeing the horror and anguish in the younger man which reflected his own feelings.

"Oh God Leo I'm never going to see her again am I?" Harry whispered as he forced back tears, he wouldn't cry in front of Leo, he brought his hand to his face and choked back a sob at the thought of that happening to his best friend and the woman he…no he wasn't going to think of that, not now.

"Harry…." Leo started and shook his head "It's been two days, that means we still have five days to find her"

"But in what state Leo?" Harry shouted and slammed his empty glass onto the sideboard "Who knows what that bastard has done to her already"

He couldn't help the desperate sob that left him this time and wiped away the tears that had fallen down his face he took a deep breath trying to steady his already unravelling emotions.

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"Hello Princess" the man said cheerfully as he barged into the small room causing Nikki to jump and take in a sharp breath, tucking her legs under her where she sat on the bed. "No 'hello'?" the man asked as he sat himself on the chair across the room to stare at Nikki who looked defiantly at him not letting him see any of her fear. "How are you feeling?"

"You bastard" Nikki hissed and the man chuckled and walked back over to the bed causing Nikki to watch him carefully. Sitting on the edge of the bed he reached out and took a strand of Nikki's blonde hair in his hand and ran it through his fingers causing her to shudder slightly in disgust and turn away from him. He let go of her hair and yanked Nikki's face back to him and covered her lips with his own as he pushed her down onto the bed. Nikki struggled and kicked her leg up hitting the man above her in the groin, he groaned and rolled off Nikki clutching at himself as he climbed off the bed.

"You bitch" he ground out as he headed for the door "Just wait until later" he hissed as he slammed the door behind him leaving a terrified Nikki alone in the small room.

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"Harry you need to rest" Leo told the younger man as Harry continued to stare out of his living room window "When was the last time you slept?"

Harry shrugged and sighed loudly still not looking at Leo.

"I don't…." Harry started and shook his head "Yesterday?" he shrugged "I cant sleep Leo"

Leo nodded and Harry continued.

"It's like…my life has stopped because Nikki isn't in it, even though it happens at the end of every day, I see her at work and outside of work, then we go home but I know I'll see her the next day or call her or something but now…." he explained and looked at Leo who had a small smile on his face "What's that smile for?"

Leo just shook his head and placed his empty glass on the table next to the sofa he was sitting on. Harry sighed and moved to sit in his armchair, resting his chin on his entwined fingers.

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**Really..I can't write angst to save my life. I do think that Harry and Leo are a bit OOC but there we go..what FF isnt? :D**

**xxx**


	4. Chapter 4

Two days had passed since Harry and Leo had found out what condition the women had been found in and there still wasn't any leads, that they had been told of, to where Nikki was being held. Both men had fallen out with the senior officer on the case and all three had exchanged words that they all wished they hadn't. The officer had banned anyone on his team from informing Harry and Leo of any information and told them they had nothing to do with the case, unless Nikki turned up dead then it was up to Harry and Leo. This made Harry snap and only Leo holding him back stopped him from physically attacking the senior officer. Harry had buried himself in work and had, surprisingly, finished all of his paperwork from the past few months and wrapped up a new case.

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"You little slut" the man yelled as he backhanded Nikki across the face causing her to stumble to the floor and hit the back of her head on the wooden frame of the bed. She cried out and brought her hand to her head and the other to her stomach as the man brought his foot down onto her body. "That's what you get for resisting me" he shouted as he grabbed hold of Nikki's arm and yanked her from the floor causing her to cry out again as she felt her arm snap under the pressure of his hand. He pushed Nikki roughly into the wall causing her already injured head to hit it hard and her to cry out again before the pain got to much and she slumped forward into the man's body causing him to grin almost insanely.

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"Professor Dalton" shouted a voice from behind Leo as he walked down the corridor to the lab, he turned around and saw Detective Gibson running towards him "Professor Dalton they've found her, they've found Dr Alexander"

"What? Where?" Leo demanded and the detective shook his head as he caught his breath from running all the way from the lobby of the lab on the ground floor.

"I could lose my job for telling you this, they found her about an hour ago and she's on her way to Queens Hospital, she's in a bad way"

"But alive?" Leo asked, wanting to hear it said.

"Yes she's alive but only just" Gibson nodded and sent Leo a small smile "You and Dr Cunningham should get to the hospital"

"Thank you so much" Leo smiled at the man and rushed into the lab to yell for Harry as Detective Gibson turned and walked back down the corridor.

"Harry" Leo yelled as he practically crashed through the lab's double doors to see Harry pulling his coat on ready to go home. "Harry they've found her and she's on her way to Queen's"

"Is she alright?" Harry demanded as he walked quickly over to Leo and they made their way out of the lab.

"She's alive, barely" Leo replied truthfully "Detective Gibson put his job on the line to tell me that"

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"Harry will you stop bloody pacing and sit on the damn chair" Leo said loudly causing Harry to glare slightly at the older man and resume his pacing of the waiting room floor. Leo rolled his eyes and shook his head just as the door opened and a man clad in white scrubs walked into the room.

"Leo Dalton and Harry Cunningham?" he enquired and Harry whipped around and nodded

"Yes"

"I'm Dr Phillips and I will be operating on Nikki" the man introduced himself and shook both Harry and Leo's hands.

"Operating?" Leo asked and glanced at Harry who was looking even more worried.

"Nikki has various broken bones and internal bleeding that needs to be sorted out, we're doing more tests but she'll be in surgery for a good few hours. You two should go home and get some rest"

"No" Harry shook his head "I'm staying here, I need to be here for Nikki when she comes out of surgery"

"Dr Cunningham?" Dr Phillips asked and Harry nodded "I can guarantee that Nikki will be in surgery for a good few hours and wont be waking up for a while after. It would be better if you two both went home and got some rest, from what I've heard you two have had a few rough days. We have Professor Dalton's phone number as he is Nikki's next of kin and we will call you when Nikki is out of surgery"

"Okay" Harry said quietly as he nodded "Fine"

"We'll do everything we can for Nikki" Dr Phillips said and Leo nodded.

"Thank you" he whispered.

"Harry do you want to spend the night in my spare room?" Leo asked as he pulled away from the hospital, it was already late in the evening and Leo could see that Harry was exhausted. "In case I get a phone call, it'll be easier for both of us and anyway we need to talk"

"About what?" Harry mumbled as he stared out of the passenger window "Leo?" he asked when he didn't get an answer and he turned to look at his friend.

"You really don't know do you?" Leo asked, a shocked look on his face and Harry frowned.

"Know what?"

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**Ha! Reading that last part between Harry and Leo I just realised how 'Slashy' it sounds. lol! Oh well. **

**Yeah I know Nikki got found quickly..well after four days..but the story will now focus on how Harry Nikki and Leo deal with what happened and the kidnapper may also feature in it at some point as well. and I need a name for him as well.**

**xxx**


	5. Chapter 5

Harry swallowed the lump that formed in his throat when he saw Nikki's small form in the large hospital bed. She was deathly pale, her blonde hair that was spread over the pillow seemed to be the only proper colour in the bed. Tubes and wires connected her to various machines around the bed, keeping her breathing and alive and the steady beeping of the heart monitor comforted Harry a bit with each loud beep. He reached out one of his hands that he noted was shaking quite a bit and wrapped it around Nikki's smaller one, being careful of the drip in her arm. Leo walked around the bed and stood on the other side, a grim look on his face as he looked at Nikki in the bed.

"Dr Phillips is coming in in a minute to tell us what injuries she had" he told Harry who just gave a short nod and brought Nikki's hand to his mouth to give it a quick kiss before returning it to the bed and turning to the door when Dr Phillips walked through.

"How is she?" Harry asked instantly

"Well I'm glad to say that we managed to stop all of the internal bleeding, there was significant damage to her stomach and lungs, this was probably mostly caused by the four broken ribs she had" Dr Phillips told the two men and Leo nodded at him to continue, shooting Harry a concerned look which the younger man missed as he was too busy staring at Nikki "the damage to her stomach looks like it were was by someone stamping on her, kicking her or a very hard punch by the looks of the bruises on her abdomen"

Harry sighed loudly and closed his eyes, not wanting to imagine what Nikki went through but he knew it would be getting worse.

"Her left arm was broken in two places which we have set and it should mend perfectly well if she rests it, the same with all her injuries, however…" the doctor paused "We found evidence of her being raped multiple times" Harry made a slight noise when hearing this and turned away from the doctor "and we don't know what Nikki's mental state will be after what she went through"

"She'll be fine" Harry whispered as he reached out and ran his hand over Nikki's hair "She's the strongest person I know"

Leo nodded in agreement sadness reflected in his eyes as he looked down at the woman he thought of as a daughter.

"We have put her in an induced coma to let her body have time to heal" Dr Phillips continued "She should be waking up of her own accord in two days, nothing less than that I'm afraid"

"Okay" Leo nodded "Thank you"

Dr Phillips nodded and sent a sad look at Harry who was still gripping Nikki's hand tightly in his own.

"If you need to talk to me or need anything just ask for me at reception and I'll come. Nikki's my main patient at the moment"

Leo nodded again as Dr Phillips turned and walked out of the room with one last glance at Harry. When he had gone Harry allowed himself to break down. He brought his free hand to his face as he sobbed, tears running down his face. Leo walked around the bed and placed one hand on the younger man's shaking shoulder and squeezed it gently not saying anything.

"Leo…" Harry choked out as he got his sobbing under control, feeling stupid for crying in front of the older man "What if…she's not ..what if she doesn't…" he took a deep breath that was interrupted by another sob and started again "What if she doesn't recover…properly?" he whispered "I mean people go through things like these and are never the same again what if…."

"Harry" Leo interrupted his friends words "As you said Nikki is the strongest person we know, okay this will have changed her, what person wouldn't be after going through something like that but she'll always be our Nikki"

Harry didn't say anything but let out a dry sob and nodded. His conversation with Leo at the older man's house had put perspective on things and he admitted some things that he hadn't wanted to, things he had been holding back and that had been eating away at him for a long time. Harry sighed loudly and wiped his face with the hand that wasn't gripping Nikki's.

"You should go home and rest Harry" Leo told his friend as he settled himself in the other chair that was in the room. "I know you didn't sleep much when we didn't know where Nikki was but now we do you should…"

"What if she wakes up and no-one's here?" Harry interrupted "Or if something happens and…."

"Harry damn it go home" Leo said loudly "Dr Phillips said that Nikki wont wake up in the next two days" he sighed and shook his head "Please Harry it wont do any good you getting ill, Nikki wouldn't want you to do that"

"Fine" Harry sighed and Leo nodded and stood up. He leant over the bed and placed a quick kiss on Nikki's forehead before turning to Harry.

"I'll wait outside for you and I'll give you a lift home"

Harry only nodded and turned back to Nikki, he heard the door click shut and leant over to press a kiss onto Nikki's lips.

"I love you"

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**I'll leave you to imagine what Harry and Leo talked about at his house. I may put another chapter up today seeing as I've already written it, it may be more exciting than this one..probably not though. How am I doing with the angst?**

**xxx**


	6. Chapter 6

**As I was asked nicely (with a cherry on top ;) ) here's the next chapter. I should be revising R.S not writing new chapters but I have up to chapter ten written at the moment.**

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The man sat in his cell staring at the wall opposite him, the officers guarding him had been slightly disturbed. He hadn't blinked or even moved since they had directed him into the room and all he did was stare at the wall, they all had to look away from his eyes when they had looked in them, something in them had terrified the officers. His mind was going over things, the women he had raped and murdered. The rush of adrenalin that had come when he had clamped the chloroform soaked cloth across their faces, the way they went limp and surrendered to him. How they looked when he was raping them, the fear in their eyes when he was strangling them. He thought back to the last woman, there was fear in her eyes he remembered but there was also an underlining determination in her eyes, something none of the other women had had. She had fought back against him, the others had just surrendered to what was going to happen. She was strong and he liked that.

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When Harry woke he was conscious that he was more refreshed than he had felt in days, sitting up slightly he blinked to clear his eyes and then focused on the clock on his bed side table. Seeing it was nearly half past six in the morning he sighed and swung his legs over the side of the bed and ran one of his hands through his already messy hair. Reaching out his other hand for his phone he decided to call the hospital while he got ready for work.

"Hello this is Harry Cunningham, would it be possible to talk to Dr Phillips about Nikki Alexander please?" he asked as the phone was picked up on the other end

"Are you family sir?" the woman on the other end asked and Harry hesitated

"Yes I'm her husband" he lied smoothly, a little worried at how easily it slipped out of his mouth.

"Okay" the woman replied "One minute please"

While he was waiting for Dr Phillips, Harry wandered into his kitchen and started making himself a coffee, he was just about to pour the boiled water out when a voice came on the other end of the phone.

"Dr Cunningham it's Dr Phillips how can I help you?"

"I was wondering how Nikki is" Harry said quietly

"You didn't tell me yesterday that Nikki was your wife" Dr Phillips replied and Harry winced slightly

"Well…she's not really…" Harry mumbled and Dr Phillips chuckled and continued

"Well Nikki was fine during the night and we were able to take her off the machine that was helping her to breath. She's still unconscious but should be awake at some point this evening or tonight but as I said yesterday we don't know how she will react when she wakes up"

"Okay thank you doctor" Harry said "but is it okay if I visit Nikki at some point today"

"Of course it is" Dr Phillips replied

"Thank you very much" Harry nodded even though the man on the other end couldn't see.

"You're welcome" the doctor said down the phone and Harry hung up feeling a lot happier than he had in a long time.

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"Morning Leo" Harry called out as he walked into the lab to see the older man already at work. He walked over to Leo's office and entered without knocking "I phoned the hospital this morning and Nikki is a bit better, they've taken her off some of the machines and she should be awake at some point this evening"

"Well that's good isn't it?" Leo replied and Harry grinned and nodded "You seem happier"

"I've had a decent nights sleep and I've been told that my best friend is getting better so what's not to be happy about?" Harry replied

"and you got something else off your chest as well?" Leo prompted, a small smile graced his face as Harry nodded shortly and walked over to his desk but Leo saw a smile on his face as he turned away.

"They've got another lab doing the forensics for this case" Leo informed Harry a few minutes later as he walked through to the main lab and Harry only nodded.

"Leo what if she isn't okay after this?" he asked

"Harry" Leo chided and shook his head "We've had this conversation about five times now and I keep telling you that Nikki will be fine now here's a case that's just been called in. A woman walking her dog found a male body in the woods"

"Nice" Harry sighed "And it's been raining"

"I would go but…I have a lot of paper work" Leo sighed dramatically and Harry could tell he was lying.

"Yeah" he scoffed "I'm sure"

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Meanwhile at the hospital Dr Phillips was on his way to check on Nikki, glancing down at the clipboard in his hand he was surprised at how well Nikki's body was recovering after her ordeal and how well she was responding to treatment. He pushed the door to her room open and walked carefully in the room silent apart from the sound of the birds singing outside of the window.

"You have some very dedicated friends" he told Nikki as he checked on her drip "Especially Harry, you two should do something about that" he smiled as he wrote something on his clip board and frowned when he heard a small groan from the bed. Looking up he saw Nikki open her eyes slightly and attempt to move her hand to her face.

"Nikki?" he asked softly, knowing to tread carefully around her at the moment.

"Who…wha…" Nikki rasped her throat dry from not being used

"You're in hospital Nikki" Dr Phillips said quietly "I'm Dr Phillips, your doctor"

"What ha..happened?" Nikki asked quietly and coughed causing her to wince and take in a deep breath. She clenched her eyes shut against the pain and tried to stop the tears from leaking out of her eyes.

"I'll see what I can do about that pain" Dr Phillips told her "You were…" he frowned "What do you remember?"

"Um…" Nikki thought about it and brought her had to her face running it over her eyes, she had a terrible headache and her body was killing her "I don't…I cant remember.." she whispered tearfully

"That's okay" Dr Phillips soothed her "Sometimes that happens, it will come back to you eventually" he said 'Unfortunately' he thought. He was amazed that Nikki was awake and able to participate in a small conversation but saw how tired she was.

"Why don't you go back to sleep and we'll take care of you" Dr Phillips suggested "I'll be around in a few hours to see how you are"

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**Well It's gonna get angstier (is that even a word? lol) for the next few chapters. And I'm still working on a name for the kidnapper..or maybe I should just leave him as 'the man'..makes him sound mysterious.**

**xxx**


	7. Chapter 7

"Dr Cunningham Professor Dalton can I have a word?" Dr Phillips called down the hospital corridor as he poked his head out of his office when he saw the two men walk past. Harry and Leo turned around and nodded when they heard his request and made their way into the office.

"How is Nikki?" Harry asked instantly "What's wrong?"

"Well Nikki woke up a few hours ago just for a few minutes but" this 'but' wiped the smiles of both Harry and Leo's faces "She didn't seem to remember anything that had happened to her at all"

"Anything?" Leo enquired and Dr Phillips shook his head as he sat up straighter on his chair "I don't think it is wise, unless Nikki has remembered anything when she wakes up again, to tell her what happened just yet"

"We don't lie Dr Phillips" Harry warned the man on the opposite side of the desk "And I'm not risking my friendship with her to lie now and then loose her when she finds out the truth"

"I know" the doctor sighed "But give it until she is properly awake and able to cope..better than she would now"

"Okay" Leo nodded and shot Harry a look as he was about to argue "Can we see her?"

"Of course" Dr Phillips nodded and stood up to follow the two men out of the door

"What have you told her happened?" Harry enquired as they walked down the deserted corridors

"Nothing" Dr Phillips shook his head "She wasn't awake long enough, only long enough for me to see she had no recollection of what happened to her"

Leo nodded and Harry gently pushed open the door to Nikki's room. He saw she was awake and staring out of the window and had to resist the urge to rush over to her. Nikki heard the door open and turned her head to see who it was.

"Hey" Harry whispered as he sat on the chair next to the bed and took Nikki's hand in his

"Hi" Nikki replied quietly and gave him a small smile that Harry saw didn't reach her eyes which were almost empty of any emotion, this worried him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as Leo hung back to let them have some time together

"Like I've been in a fight with an elephant" Nikki replied and Harry chuckled slightly "and feeling sick from all the morphine they've pumped into me which I'm sure I'm going to be grateful for when I find out what injuries I've got" she chuckled and Harry gave her a sad smile which Nikki missed as she was too busy beckoning Leo over to the side of the bed.

"What happened?" Nikki asked both men after a few minute talking to Leo "I can't remember…"

"What do you remember?" Harry asked quietly, ignoring the warning looks he got from the other two men which Nikki saw. She shook her head slightly and winced at the pain it caused her.

"Not much" she replied and brought her free hand, that wasn't held in Harry's, to her eyes and sighed "I remember going to my car, I think I was…yes I was called to a case but I cant remember anything after that"

"It will come back to you like I said" Dr Phillips interrupted "But…it may not be what you want"

"You know what happened?" Nikki asked all three men and their silence told her everything. She turned her head slightly to look at Harry "Tell me what happened"

"Nikki I…."

"Harry tell me" Nikki ground out tearfully and a few dripped down her cheek causing Harry's heart to sink and he had to look away from her, his own eyes filling up. "Please?"

"Not now" he whispered

"Get out" Nikki said quietly and Harry looked up just as Nikki yanked her hand out of his and glared at him "All of you get out"

"Nikki…" Harry started

"Get the hell out of this room Harry" Nikki hissed and Harry almost cried again at the tone of her voice, one he had never heard her use towards him or Leo before "and you Leo" she added and turned away from both of them. She heard Harry stand up and refused to give him the satisfaction of her looking at him and closed her eyes not allowing them to see the tears in them. She heard the door click shut and opened her eyes slightly to see the room was empty, only then did she allow herself to start to cry.

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"That was the single most bloody awful thing I have had to do in my entire life Leo" Harry shouted to the older man as he climbed into the car and slammed the door shut "I just lied to my best friend and the woman I…." he paused for a second then continued, missing the look Leo shot him "and now she hates me..us for it"

"She doesn't hate you Harry" Leo replied as he started the car

"Didn't you see the look in her eyes?" Harry asked "There was hate in them"

"Look Harry, Nikki is confused and probably scared at the moment" Leo reasoned with his friend as he pulled out of the hospital car park "She's just woken up in hospital not remembering how or why she is in there"

"Exactly" Harry shouted "We could have told her, at least explained to her"

"Explained how?" Leo shouted back, the normally calm man was losing his calm "Explain that what she cant remember is her being kidnapped, beaten and raped within an inch of her life?"

"Stop the car" Harry said shortly and Leo turned to him

"What?"

"Stop the car Leo" Harry replied slowly and Leo could see the anger and torment in his eyes "I can stand to hear you speak of what happened like that"

"Fine" Leo stated and stopped the car quickly "Get out then"

"I am" Harry replied as he opened the car door violently "I wont see you at the lab, I'm going home"

Leo didn't say anything as Harry slammed the car door shut causing a woman walking her dog to raise an eyebrow and frown but both men found they didn't care what it looked like. Leo shook his head and drove off leaving Harry to walk home alone, both of them seething with anger at the other. The events of the last week causing their emotions to run wild.

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**Wow! I just love the thought of angry!harry and angry!leo having an argument so I had to put it in here. lol! They probably aren't in character angry!leo isn't something we see very often.**

**xxx**


	8. Chapter 8

When Harry eventually got home from where Leo had left him he went straight upstairs and climbed into the shower. It was only then that his emotions shattered completely, sliding down the wall inside his shower, Harry placed his head in his hands and sobbed. He hadn't cried this much since he could remember and once again realised how much Nikki had changed him, and how much she really meant to him. After a few minutes Harry got himself under control and walked out of the shower feeling suddenly drained and weak. Pulling on a pair of jogging trousers he collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep almost instantly, not caring that it was only just half past eight.

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Leo knew he shouldn't have driven off and left Harry to make his own way home but the argument they had had had been too much for him. He knew Harry cared for Nikki, even knew he loved her, but the younger man had to see that he wasn't the only one who did. Since his daughter had died Nikki had become almost like a surrogate daughter to him and he hated to see her hurt or upset. Leo quickly opened his front door and walked in to his always quiet and empty house. Throwing down his keys on the table near the door he slowly took off his coat and hung it up before wandering into his living room, looked around then continued into his kitchen where he set about making himself a large mug of coffee to wake himself up. A few minutes later he was sitting at his living room table reading through some paperwork he had yet to complete, sighing in frustration after reading the same line at least five times he shut the folder and stood up abandoning his work and coffee and walking up stairs to try and get some sleep.

-----

Unlike her two co-workers Nikki couldn't sleep, she had been trying for a few hours but sleep just didn't come to her. She turned over in the hospital bed and stared at the closed curtains that covered the window in her room, wincing slightly as the drip pulled in her arm and her ribs protested against the large amount of movement. She sniffed and reached up with the hand that contained the drip to wipe away the tears that were falling down her face, but her tears had nothing to do with the pain she was in. Nikki wondered why Harry and Leo would want to lie to her and keep details away from her, especially Harry who she thought was her best friend. Wiping her face again Nikki found herself staring at the clock that was on the wall opposite her bed, it read one twenty five in the morning. Groaning in frustration Nikki closed her eyes and tried to get to sleep.

-----

The man lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling, his hands clasped together over his stomach, his breathing even as he lay in the dark. He closed his eyes for a second and a smile graced his face as he thought of the last woman he had had, her long blonde hair, her deep brown eyes filled with fear and determination. His smile grew when he thought back to what he had done to her and he wondered whether he would ever see her again, he didn't even get to know her name but he knew it would be a pretty one, after all the woman in question was gorgeous. He was just a bit annoyed that he had been found before he could complete his work with her, maybe there would be another time. His sick smile stayed on his face as he slipped into dreams filled with the screaming women of the last few months.

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**Just a litle insight to what they are thinking and doing. I may upload another (more exciting) chapter today to cheer myself up for my R.S exam today..and I'm still trying to find a name for the kidnapper. **

**xxx**


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning when Dr Phillips entered Nikki's room early she just glanced up at him then looked back at the curtains she was staring at.

"Have you slept Nikki?" he asked as he walked over to the drip but she didn't reply "Nikki?"

"Yes?"

"Have you slept?"

"A bit" came another short reply

"Harry is here to see you"

"Tell him to piss off" Nikki spat "and that I don't want to see him"

"Nikki please" came a voice from behind her and Nikki sighed. Turning slightly she saw Harry standing inside the doorway with a sad look on his face "I'm sorry"

"No you're not" Nikki told him as she turned her back on him again "You are meant to be my best friend but you wont help me and tell me what the hell happened to me now either tell me or you can piss off"

"Nikki" Harry sighed as he walked over to the bed and sat on the chair Nikki had her back to, he didn't even attempt to touch her "Have you remembered anything else?"

"I.." Nikki paused "I..don't know if it's what happened but last night I dreamt…that there was a man, and a small room but that was it"

Harry nodded from behind Nikki even though she couldn't see. He turned around to make sure Dr Phillips had gone then turned back to Nikki who still had her back to him.

"Okay I'll tell you but I was told not to by Dr Phillips"

"Why?" Nikki asked quietly

"He said it may do more harm than good and you should remember on your own" Harry replied as he leant forward in the chair

"Please help me Harry" Nikki sobbed and Harry's heart broke again as he heard this. Making a split second decision he started talking.

"Nikki you were kidnapped from outside of your car on the way to the crime scene you were called to" Harry started and looked down at his hands "You were gone for just over four days, in which time you were beaten and" he paused "raped"

A sob came from the bed and he looked up to see Nikki's fragile body shaking as she cried. He reached over to grasp her hand in his but she flinched away.

"Don't touch me" she hissed as she wiped her face but more tears slipped from her eyes "Just..don't touch me"

"Nikki I'm sorry…" Harry started and Nikki shook her head

"It wasn't your fault" she whispered and gave him a sad smile as she turned over in the bed to face him "Can you stay with me please Harry?"

Harry nodded and made no attempt to reach for her, content at the moment to just sit with her.

"Were there others?" Nikki asked after a few seconds of silence "Other women I mean?"

"Yes, over the past few months, none were as lucky as you though"

Nikki drew in a sharp breath and Harry looked away from her

"I.._we_ nearly lost you Nikki" he whispered and had to hold back his tears at the thought, he didn't want Nikki thinking he was getting more emotional than necessary "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't…"

"Who would you tease at the lab?" Nikki asked, a small sad smile on her face, she felt at ease with Harry now that he had admitted what had happened.

"No seriously Nikki I don't know what I would do without you" Harry told her seriously and Nikki felt her eyes glazing over with tears "I'm sorry I didn't mean to make…"

"It's okay Harry" Nikki whispered "I'm sorry I told you to piss off"

"That's alright" Harry smiled "I think you were entitled to really, I was a bit of an arse yesterday"

"Then we're even don't you think?" Nikki asked and Harry nodded "Where's Leo?"

Harry just shrugged

"Work probably"

"What's happened between you two?" Nikki enquired and Harry started to wonder if she was only talking like this to take her mind off what happened.

"We had an argument on the way home from the hospital yesterday, I shouted at him he shouted at me, I got out of the car miles from the lab and just went home" Harry answered as Nikki looked surprised "I haven't talked to him since"

"What did you argue about?" Nikki asked

"Nikki are you sure you're okay?" Harry interrupted her question thoroughly confused "I mean women who have been in your position should be…"

"Screaming? Crying? Being inconsolable?" Nikki asked scathingly and shook her head "To be honest I think it will all sink in properly when…if I can remember what happened for myself so I'm just enjoying not being able to remember it" Nikki replied "If I do can I…can you…"

"Can I what Nikki?" Harry asked

"Can you help me when I remember it?" she enquired quietly "Help me get through it because you're right Harry I think I will be inconsolable and need some sort of help..not psychiatry or some psychologist who think she knows me, but a friend"

"Of course I will Nikki" Harry laughed quietly despite the lump in his throat "I'll always be there for you even if you call me in the middle of the night and demand that I come to you just for a cuddle I'll be there"

Nikki giggled tearfully as he said this and she tentatively reached out and entwined Harry's hand with her own, suddenly aware at how perfectly they fitted together.

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**Sorry I haven't uploaded in a while..had my Chemistry test yesterday...ha! How much have I failed it? lol! Anyway hope you enjoyed this chapter...will be more angst next chapter I think. :D**

**xxx**


	10. Chapter 10

"So are you going to talk to Leo?" Nikki enquired after a few minutes of comfortable silence between her and Harry "and apologise"

"I didn't do anything wrong" Harry almost whined and Nikki giggled slightly "Okay maybe I shouted at him but he shouted at me as well"

"Leo shouted?" Nikki asked and Harry nodded

"It was quite scary really, and he swore"

"Wow" Nikki breathed "What made him do that?"

"He's been really worried as well" Harry admitted "He told me you're like a daughter to him"

"When did he say this?" Nikki asked and bit back a yawn which Harry saw

"You're tired, go to sleep"

"Don't want to" Nikki mumbled "I might remember things"

"Nikki please sleep" Harry told her and squeezed her hand slightly, also worried what she would remember when she was asleep.

"Will you stay with me?" she whispered as they let go of each other's hand, both taken back by the sudden rush of loneliness when they did.

"I have to work" Harry replied regretfully and he saw the disappointment and fear in Nikki's eyes "I promise I'll come back later"

"Harry please" Nikki sobbed, hating herself for putting Harry in this position but she couldn't help it, she was suddenly scared.

"Nikki I…" Harry started and saw Nikki suddenly pale.

"Oh God" she mumbled as she leant over the side of the bed and vomited. Harry jumped back a bit to avoid it hitting his shoes and winced as he heard Nikki dry heaving.

"Hey it's okay" he soothed as he sat on the bed and reached out for Nikki who jumped back suddenly, shaking her head vigorously as she looked at him in fear.

"Don't" she mumbled as she pushed his hand away violently "I remember…he…him..he was sitting on the bed talking to me then he…" she swallowed a lump in her throat "then he…" she couldn't continue but Harry knew what had happened. Standing up he moved away from the bed and he saw Nikki visibly relax, he hated himself for having caused Nikki some distress. Just then the door opened and Dr Phillips walked in.

"Ah I see you've sorted…" he stopped when he saw Harry standing far away from the bed, the puddle of vomit on the floor and a violently shaking Nikki in the bed "What happened?" he asked Harry

"She was sick" Harry replied truthfully "Then she remembered something"

"What?" Dr Phillips asked as he walked quickly to the other side of the bed to check on Nikki who shook her head vigorously.

"No" she whispered and looked at Harry, her eyes pleading "Please don't"

"If Nikki doesn't want me to tell you then I'm not going to" Harry told Dr Phillips firmly, the doctor nodded and Nikki visibly relaxed when she heard this.

"I think it's the morphine making you sick" he changed the subject somewhat and Harry took his opportunity to walk out of the room without allowing Nikki to make anymore fuss and make herself ill again "Have you been feeling queasy before now?"

Nikki nodded slightly but didn't say anything to him, she turned her head to look at Harry and her heart sunk when she saw he had left her alone. Her eyes filled up and she hastily blinked them away again not wanting her doctor to think she was weak.

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"Leo can I talk to you?" Harry asked the older man quietly as he stood in the doorway of Leo's office. He had just come back from the hospital and what he had just done had made it's way onto his list of 'Worst things I've ever done' in Harry's opinion. Leo looked up from his paperwork and was shocked at how pale Harry looked.

"Of course" he nodded and Harry walked into the room, ignoring the chair in front of Leo's desk and instead made his way over to the window ledge and leant both his hands on it staring over London. "What's wrong?"

"I've just been to see Nikki" Harry said shortly but said no more as he tried to think of how to apologise to Leo, he wasn't good at apologies.

"Is she alright?" Leo asked

"I…" Harry thought about it then shook his head "I honestly don't know Leo. One minute she was laughing and joking and the next minute she was…" he stopped talking as he remembered the fear in Nikki's eyes when he had reached out to calm her "I told her what happened"

"You what?" Leo hissed "Bloody hell Harry are you stupid"

"Well I'm sorry if my best friend was scared stiff that she couldn't remember anything and I couldn't stand seeing her like that" Harry shouted and all thoughts of apologising flew out of his head "She practically begged me"

"Then you should have resisted" Leo replied loudly and a passing lab tech looked worriedly through the glass of the office before walking quickly away "Who knows what that will do to her"

"She remembered something on her own as well Leo" Harry shouted "and you weren't there to see what it did to her. I thought she was going to have a bloody breakdown, you have no _idea_ how scared I was" he hissed and stormed out of Leo's office slamming the door on the way out. What he didn't expect was Leo standing up, yanking the door open and following him.

"Don't you dare walk away after talking to me like that" the older man shouted and Harry whirled around the stare at him in disbelief "You seem to forget that I am your boss and I expect you to apologise for how you just talked to me"

Harry scoffed and shrugged

"No" he said simply and turned around to walk out of the lab.

"Then I don't expect you back at work until you have" he heard Leo shout to him and Harry found that he couldn't care less.

* * *

**Sorry I haven't updated. I had my last exam yesterday! Whoo! and I may upload another chapter today.**

**xxx**


	11. Chapter 11

"I'm so sorry for leaving you Nikki" Harry whispered as he sat beside his best friend who was asleep in the hospital bed, a oxygen mask over her mouth. Dr Phillips had told Harry that Nikki had had a panic attack after he had left and had to be put on oxygen for her to breath. It had worn her out and Nikki had been asleep for the past three hours, Harry had been at her side for the past two feeling immensely guilty. He reached out and gently, so not to wake Nikki, entwined their fingers, Nikki's own hand tiny and cold against his own large warmer one. "God what's that bastard done to us?" he asked no-one in particular "He's made us all fight for the first time in…well for the first time really"

"Who's fighting?" came a muffled voice and Harry looked down at Nikki who still had her eyes closed "It better not be you and Leo still"

"I went to apologise but we got into another argument. He told me to apologise after that otherwise I wont be allowed back to work but I just ignored him" Harry told her truthfully not wanting to lie to her anymore "I'm sorry for leaving you"

There was a moments silence then Nikki replied through the oxygen mask.

"I know" she whispered her eyes still closed "It doesn't hurt any less though Harry, I was so scared. You left me alone in a room with a man I had known for about two hours put together and I was terrified"

"I didn't…" Harry sighed "I didn't think about that" he confessed "I just saw a doctor who was trying to help you"

Nikki opened her eyes when he said this and gave Harry a small smile through the oxygen mask.

"So am I" she replied as he looked directly at him and squeezed their still entwined hands. "they've taken me off the morphine because it was making me sick" she changed the subject

"What are you on for the pain?" Harry enquired as he realised the only thing in the drip was blood and made a mental note to go blood donating sometime in the near future.

"Don't know" Nikki mumbled "I couldn't be bothered to ask"

"But you are on something?"

"Yes Harry because I'm not in pain at the moment and if I wasn't on painkillers I think I would be in vast amounts of pain" she paused "What injuries do I have?"

"Dr Phillips didn't tell you?" Harry enquired, shocked at this and Nikki gave him a sheepish look and shook her head.

"I haven't been in the correct state for him to tell me"

"Oh" Harry nodded "Um…your left arm is broken in two places, I need to sign that cast by the way" Nikki giggled slightly at this and nodded "You had..you had massive internal bleeding especially your lungs and stomach and you have four broken ribs"

"I'm sorry for scaring you" Nikki told him as she took all this in and brought her hand to Harry's face and lay it on his cheek rubbing it slightly with her thumb and she could have sworn Harry leant into her touch before reaching up and entwining their hands again and placing it on top of the bed.

"I have never been that scared in my life" Harry informed her getting emotional again "Don't you dare do that again"

"I'll try" Nikki joked then sobered up "What was the damage…um…where he raped me?" she swallowed a lump in her throat when she said this and Harry gripped her hand tighter, making Nikki wonder if it was his automatic reaction "I mean was there any..permanent damage?"

Harry shook his head

"No I don't think so" he whispered "Dr Phillips didn't say anything about it"

"Okay" Nikki nodded and tried to steer away from the conversation "Are you going to apologise to Leo?"

"Not yet" Harry replied shortly

"Why not?" Nikki frowned "Don't you want to go back to work?"

"He'll forgive me and let me back some time" Harry shrugged "and anyway it lets me keep my promise and stay with you"

"Thank you" Nikki whispered her eyes filling with tears "I'm sorry for being so demanding"

"No you're not" Harry said instantly "It's understandable you want someone with you" he paused slightly "But why me?"

"Because you're my best friend" Nikki said slowly and directed her eyes away from his to stare at their entwined hands "and you make me feel safer than anything or anyone else"

Harry was about to say something but was cut off by the door opening and Dr Phillips walking in.

"Oh I'm sorry" he apologised looking from Harry to Nikki who still had the oxygen mask on "I've come to check up on you"

"I'm fine" Nikki replied through the mask "Thank you for earlier" she motioned to the mask as Dr Phillips chuckled.

"It's my job" he replied "and it's a lot easier to talk to you knowing you are a doctor and can understand the jargon"

Harry and Nikki chuckled slightly but Nikki's was interrupted by a coughing fit. Harry frowned when he heard how raw her throat was with each cough and when it was over could hear Nikki breathing heavily.

"It will be harder to breath sometimes because of the surgery we had to do on your lungs" Dr Phillips informed Nikki who nodded and winced against the dull pain of her throbbing chest, her lungs protesting against the coughing. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply through the oxygen mask, her hand still wrapped within Harry's.

"Now I need to inform you of your injuries" Dr Phillips started but Nikki shook her head

"Harry told me" she told him and Harry looked sheepish

"Sorry"

"No that's okay" Dr Phillips nodded and turned back to Nikki

"Is there anything you want to ask me?"

"Was there any permanent..damage from me being..?" Nikki asked quietly and Dr Phillips shook her head

"No you were lucky there" he told her "There's nothing wrong and you'll still be able to have children"

Harry heard Nikki let out a breath and realised that was what Nikki was worrying about, he hadn't know she wanted children. She had told him a few months before that she was too involved with her job for a family.

"By the way Professor Dalton is waiting in the waiting room to come in" Dr Phillips told them and Harry groaned causing Nikki to send a glare his way "Should I send him in?"

"Yes please" Nikki nodded and turned to Harry "You stay there"

Harry just sighed and nodded, keeping his promise to her.

* * *

**Said I would upload another chapter. :D**

**xxx**


	12. Chapter 12

Nikki winced slightly as she pulled on her coat ready to go home. It had been three weeks since Nikki had regained consciousness from her ordeal and Dr Phillips had told her she would be allowed out of hospital today. She looked up from her coat when the door opened and Harry walked into the room, he sent her a smile and walked over to help her with her coat, the cast on her left arm impeding her work.

"Thank you" she whispered and Harry nodded

"That's okay" he replied "I've set my spare room up for you"

"Why?" Nikki enquired as Harry picked up her bag with all of her clothes in and slung it over one shoulder "Harry I can take that"

"Because I don't want you to be alone at the moment and I want to look after you" Harry replied and Nikki smiled and nodded.

"Thank you Harry but I cant…"

"Yes you can" Harry interrupted and opened the door for her allowing her out first before shutting the door behind him.

"Harry listen I know my memory of what happened is going to come back at some point and I don't want you to be on the end of anything I do or say" Nikki told Harry as they drove out of the hospital car park in the direction of Harry's house.

"Nikki I promised you that I would look after you and stay with you" Harry told her quietly "And I don't want you to do anything…" he stopped talking and Nikki waited for him to continue but he didn't.

"Anything….?" she prompted

"Stupid" Harry finished and ignored the glare Nikki sent his way

"What? Like kill myself?" Nikki scoffed and shook her head, she had had enough of these mood swings but Dr Phillips had warned them that they would continue, she had gone through something traumatic and wouldn't be as right as rain in a few weeks. The reality of what happened would soon come crashing down on her. "I'm sorry Harry" she sighed and Harry only nodded "This is why I don't think it's fair on you if you look after me. You have your own life"

"Nikki listen to me" Harry sighed and pulled over to park on the side of the road, he turned and gently took Nikki's hand in his trying to ignore the flinch from Nikki when he did so. "I promised you a few weeks ago that I wouldn't leave you and that I would help you through what happened okay?" Nikki just nodded and looked down at her lap "The last time I broke that promise you….went slightly downhill and I'm not having that happen again okay?"

"Okay" Nikki nodded and felt the tears make their way down her face. Harry undid his seat belt and placed one arm around her as she cried "I hate it Harry" she sobbed into his shirt "I still…can't..remember..but it's already..wearing me down"

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"Harry will you sleep with me?" Nikki whispered as she sat on the sofa with Harry. He had one arm around her shoulder and she was as close to his side as she could get without being on his lap, Harry could feel her shaking slightly.

"Excuse me?" Harry asked as he looked down at her in shock not really understanding what she was asking

"Will you…" Nikki paused as she realised what she said and what it sounded like and shook her head vigorously which caused pain to flare up and she winced "Not like that..no..I mean..don't worry" she stuttered and moved away from him "I'm going to bed, I don't feel well"

"Do you want me to get you anything?" Harry asked her quietly and she shook her head and made her way out of the living room and upstairs to the spare bedroom where she sat on the edge of the bed and let the tears drip down her face. She let out a quiet sob and covered her mouth with her hand to stop Harry hearing, she didn't want him to know she was having another crying fit. Clamping her eyes shut she tried to stop the tears but to no avail and she sobbed again her body shaking.

"Nikki?" Harry asked softly and she opened her eyes and blinked away more tears. Harry was standing in the doorway of the room "Can I…..?" he motioned to the bed and Nikki nodded moving away from him slightly when he sat down.

"I'm sorry" she whispered

"What for?"

"For crying again" Nikki sobbed and Harry sighed and gave her a small sad smile

"As much as I hate to see you cry Nikki you can cry as much as you want. I think you've earned that right don't you?"

"I'm sorry for the mood swings as well"

"Stop apologising Nikki" Harry said loudly and Nikki flinched slightly at his tone of voice "I'm sorry"

"Now who's apologising?" Nikki gave him a watery giggle and Harry smiled as she wiped her face.

"Nikki I know what you're thinking and if I didn't want to put up with your mood swings and crying fits and..whatever, then I wouldn't have offered you my spare room and I wouldn't be that much of a best friend would I?" Harry told her and Nikki shook her head and looked down at the duvet on the bed absentmindedly picking at it.

"Will you sleep with me?" she whispered "I mean sleep not…." she swallowed and tried not to think about what had happened to her.

"If you want me to" Harry replied quietly and she nodded not looking up at him wondering what she did to deserve a friend like Harry.

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**Everytime I write these chapters they turn out fluffy so I have to re-write them again with ! I'm just a natural fluff writer. :D**

**I've got another week until I go back to school after exams so I should get around to writing a few chapters in that time. **

**xxx**


	13. Chapter 13

The next time Nikki woke up she looked at the bedside clock and saw the glowing hands read half past six in the morning. Sighing slightly she moved herself and only then was she conscious of someone else in the bed with her, she stiffened slightly and her breathing became erratic as she clamped her eyes shut and tried to control her emotions. The person in the bed moved and Nikki felt the duvet being pushed back and the other person sliding quietly out of bed. Closing her eyes tighter she hated herself for the few tears that leaked from under her lids and a small sob that escaped her lips.

"Nikki?" came Harry's soft voice and her request to Harry from the night before came back to her. She started to sob louder and brought one hand to her face as she sensed Harry kneel by the side of the bed "Nikki what's wrong?"

"I thought..thought that.." Nikki took a deep breath and tried to continue "I could only feel you in the bed Harry and I thought it was…."

"Oh" Harry breathed and hesitantly reached out to entwine their hands while Nikki took her other hand away from her face and gave him a watery smile "I'm sorry for scaring you"

"No it wasn't you" Nikki said quickly and sat up slightly so she was resting on the arm that held the cast, she winced slightly and lay back down turning over so she was laying on her back "You could never scare me Harry" she mumbled and turned her head to look at him "I was just..unsure who it was and that scared me"

Harry gave her a small smile and a nod before squeezing her hand gently and standing up.

"Do you want me to get you anything?" he asked as he walked over to the bedroom door "Breakfast? Coffee?"

"No thank you" Nikki shook her head "You have to get ready for work"

Harry gave her another smile before turning and walking out of the room leaving Nikki alone. She sighed and brought her good arm, that wasn't covered in a cast, and placed her hand over her face sighing in frustration.

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_"Dalton"_ came the voice down the phone when Nikki had rung Leo that afternoon while Harry was at work.

"Hey Leo" Nikki replied "Are you busy?"

_"Nikki how are you? And no I'm not"_

"I'm…better than I was" Nikki told him deciding to go along with the truth "I wanted to talk to you about coming back to work"

The only reply she got was a loud sigh down the phone.

_"Nikki"_ Leo started slowly and she knew what was coming and sat herself down on Harry's sofa absentmindedly playing with the television remote _"The doctor said we have to wait for an psychological evaluation before…"_

"What the hell for?" Nikki interrupted and shook her head "I'm fine Leo I just need to work"

_"You need to get better"_ Leo shot back

"I'm fine Leo" Nikki repeated loudly "I don't know what all the fuss is about"

_"Nikki I am waiting for the psychological evaluation before I'm letting you get back to work"_

"Some friend you are then" Nikki spat and hung up the phone throwing it on the sofa beside her as tears fell down her face. She furiously wiped them away before standing up and walking out of the room ignoring the phone as it rang loudly on the sofa behind her. She had expected Leo to take things into his own hands like he normally did and allow her back to work, it was the only thing she knew that would take her mind off what happened.

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"Harry you wouldn't mind going and checking on Nikki during your lunch would you?" Leo asked as he walked into the cutting room where Harry was bent over a corpse one hand buried in the victims torso a look of utter concentration on his face.

"Of course" Harry nodded not taking his eyes, or his hand, away from the body "What's wrong?"

"She just rung to ask when she can come back to work" Leo stated and Harry sighed and shook his head finally removing his arm from the bloody mass and turning to Leo "I told her that she couldn't come back until I had the psychological evaluation from the hospital and she…blew up at me"

Harry just nodded, a grim look on his face

"I'll go and talk to her" he agreed "She's not coming back to work yet"

"How is she?" Leo asked "Really?"

"Really?" Harry replied and shrugged "I don't truthfully know, she keeps telling me that she is fine and that there's nothing wrong with her but I can tell she's not fine" he paused "I just don't know how deep it goes though, I think she's in denial Leo but I daren't tell her that"

"I got a call from the other lab" Leo told the younger man as Harry went back to inspecting the body "They said they have found enough evidence in the house where the women were being kept and from the bodies to lock him away for life" he paused "They wont need Nikki to testify"

Harry let out a short breath and gave Leo a small smile

"That's good" he nodded "I know Nikki's strong but I don't think she could have gone through something like that"

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**Thought I'd upload this chapter to cheer myself up...I've just watched Valkyrie for the third time and cried my eyes out for the third time. lol! :D**

**xxx**


	14. Chapter 14

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"Hey Nikki" Harry said quietly as he walked into his living room to see Nikki watching television "How are you?"

Nikki just shrugged and knew that Leo would have told Harry about their conversation, argument, over the phone. She reached over to the remote and turned the television off and turned to Harry who was just walking into the kitchen.

"I take it Leo talked to you" she said dryly and she heard Harry make a noise of affirmation from the kitchen and shook her head "What did he say?"

"That you asked to come back to work and he said no"

"Anything else?" Nikki asked as Harry walked back into the living room clutching a mug in his hands and sitting on the armchair opposite the sofa Nikki was on.

"He said that you shouted at him"

Nikki smirked slightly and shook her head again

"I want to go back to work"

"No" Harry said simply and Nikki was taken aback slightly

"Excuse me?" she whispered dangerously and Harry tried to change tactic slightly to avoid an argument

"Nikki you are still not well" he told her quietly "The doctor said that you cant go back to work until you get a psychological evaluation from the hospital"

"To check that I'm not mad" Nikki rolled her eyes and Harry frowned

"No it's not that…."

"What is it then?" Nikki interrupted loudly and stood up "Harry I'm fine I really am"

"No you are not" Harry shouted as he stood up and slammed his mug on the table causing Nikki to flinch which Harry either missed or ignored in his angry state "You are in denial"

"No I am bloody well not" Nikki hissed and tried to turn away from him but flinched violently when Harry reached out and grabbed her upper arms hard in his hands to stop her leaving their conversation. Terror flicked across her face and eyes and Harry's heart dropped when he realised what he had done. He quickly released her arms and shook his head.

"I'm sorry" he whispered but Nikki shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears and turned and ran from the room. He heard the bathroom door slam shut and brought one hand to his face as he tried to stop his own tears, he hadn't cried this much since he was a child. Taking a deep breath and forcing down the tears he sat shakily down on the sofa Nikki had vacated and waited a few minutes for both of them to calm down slightly.

Five minutes later Harry tentatively made his way upstairs and towards the bathroom where Nikki still was. He tried the handle and was surprised to see that the door was unlocked. Opening the door slightly he stuck his head round and saw Nikki sitting against the bathtub her head turned away from him resting on her bed knees. Closing the door softly behind him Harry slid down the wall opposite Nikki and looked at her, she still didn't look at him.

"I'm so sorry Nikki" he said quietly but didn't get a reply. He sighed and leant his head back against the wall behind him and closed his eyes. He heard Nikki moving slightly but still didn't open his eyes until he felt arms wrap around his waist. He opened them and looked down to see Nikki sitting next to him her arms around his waist and her head on his shoulder. The tear tracks on her face made him angry at himself because he knew he had caused them. He moved his arm and Nikki allowed him to put it around her shoulder and she moved her head so it was laying on his chest. He felt her small form shake as she started to cry again and he held her tightly against him as she did so. Clutching at his shirt she cried into his chest until all she was doing was making dry sobbing noises. Harry reached up with the hand that was draped around her shoulder and gently ran it through her long blonde hair trying to soothe the woman in his arms.

"It's okay" he whispered as he pressed a small kiss onto the top of her head.

"It's not your fault" Nikki told him quietly a few minutes later as she stopped crying.

"Yes it is" Harry argued "I shouldn't have grabbed you"

"I shouldn't have shouted at you" Nikki countered

"I came up here to apologise to you so don't you start apologising to me" Harry told her and Nikki let out a small laugh and lay her head on his chest again breathing in his unique smell.

"Have you seen him?" she asked a few minutes later, both of them still wrapped in each other's arms on the bathroom floor.

"Him?" Harry enquired then realised who Nikki was talking about "No I haven't" he shook his head "I don't think I'd be able to control myself if I met him, I'd be looking at least an assault charge"

"You?" Nikki giggled quietly "I don't think you have it in you to harm someone as much as that"

"Trust me Nikki he hurt you and I would…."

"would what?" Nikki asked and Harry shook his head

"Don't worry" he said quietly and looked around "Now I think my sofa downstairs is more comfortable than the bathroom floor, how about we migrate down there?"

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**I'm sleeping over a friend's house tonight so I probably won't upload another chapter until tomorrow evening. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I think I may lay of the angst for a while though. What do you think?**

**xxx**


	15. Chapter 15

"So I was thinking" Harry started as he walked into his kitchen where Nikki was sitting at the table, mug of coffee clasped between her hands and the paper on the table in front of her. It had been a few days since Nikki had shouted to Leo down the phone and hers and Harry's small fight but they were all okay now.

"Be careful" she commented dryly without looking away from the news in front of her and Harry mocked laughed and rolled his eyes.

"You're so funny" he laughed sarcastically and shook his head "I was thinking that as it's my day off we could go somewhere.." he paused "Just the two of us"

"Somewhere?…" Nikki prompted as she looked up from the paper and closed it taking a sip from her coffee as she did so.

"Well where do you want to go?" Harry asked as he sat down on the chair opposite Nikki and stirred his coffee.

Nikki thought for a minute then smiled making Harry's heart jump in his chest, she had been smiling more lately and he was taking that as a good sign.

"The zoo" she stated "I haven't been since I was a child"

"The zoo it is then" Harry grinned and Nikki gave him a smile back before looking down at her suddenly very interesting mug in her hands.

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"Come on Harry" Nikki sighed as she walked quickly down one of the paths in the zoo "It's like walking with an old man"

"Thank you very much" Harry moaned sarcastically from behind her "I drive you to the zoo, I pay for you to get into the zoo and this is how you repay me"

"Poor Harry" Nikki giggled as she walked back to him and entwined their hands together in what felt like a natural way "Come on lets go and see the elephants" she pulled him towards a large outdoor enclose which held the large grey animals and a smile grew on Harry's lips when he glanced down at their entwined hands.

-------

"You must have a favourite animal" Nikki told Harry as they sat down in the restaurant eating their lunch "Everyone has one"

"Well lucky 'Everyone' then" Harry replied and Nikki rolled her eyes and stole one of Harry's chips "Do you mind?"

"No" Nikki shook her head and grinned as Harry glared playfully at her.

"I must love you if I let you steal my chips" he said without thinking and Nikki looked at him suddenly and with a confused look on her face "I mean…" he started but couldn't think of an excuse

"As a friend" Nikki prompted and Harry nodded slightly and looked down at his plate

"Yeah as a friend" he mumbled quietly so only he could hear it and he missed the almost sad look on Nikki's face "Anyway what shall we see now?"

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"Thank you for a lovely day" Nikki told Harry once they were back in his house later that evening "I haven't done anything like that in a while, my life's been too filled with work"

"You're welcome" Harry replied and sighed "Work does seem to fill our lives doesn't it?"

Nikki nodded and surprised Harry by reaching up and giving him a kiss on the cheek causing him to blush slightly, he cursed inwardly for having such a teenage boy reaction and only just caught what Nikki was saying as she walked out of the room.

"I'm going to have a bath"

"Okay" he replied weakly and ran one hand through his hair as he walked into the kitchen to make a drink. He hoped Nikki accepted his excuse for his outburst at the zoo. He didn't know what possessed him to admit his feelings to her but he knew that now wasn't the right time to admit them properly. He thought that Nikki would feel that he was taking advantage of her current state and he didn't want that to happen to he decided not to speak of what he had said at the zoo. Sighing loudly he walked back into his living room with is mug of coffee and sat himself on his sofa, laying his head back against the back of the sofa and closing his eyes.

The next thing he heard was Nikki's soft voice calling his name. He opened his eyes and looked around the room surprised at how dark it was, he blinked the sleep out of his eyes and glanced at the clock surprised to see it was nearly eleven in the evening. Harry turned and saw Nikki standing in the doorway of the living room.

"Hello sleepyhead" she whispered, a grin on her face and Harry gave her a small smile in return and groaned as he stood up. "See what I meant earlier?" Nikki asked seriously "Old man" but another grin broke across her face betraying her real emotions.

"I'm not old" Harry moaned "I'm only five months older than you"

"Oh well lets forget the details" Nikki shrugged and Harry rolled his eyes and walked through to the kitchen to dispose of his still full but very cold mug of coffee "I'm going to bed"

"Okay" Harry replied as he walked back into the room and smiled when Nikki wrapped her arms around his waist and lay her head on his chest.

"Thank you for everything you're doing for me Harry" she whispered as he brought one hand up to run over her hair gently.

"That's alright" he told her "I couldn't let you go through it alone"

Nikki looked up at him and nodded before leaning up and kissing him thoroughly on the lips and bringing one hand to his shoulder to pull him closer to her. All coherent thought left Harry's head and it didn't occur to him that he had been denying feelings for the past few years. He brought his other hand that wasn't tangled in Nikki's hair to the small of her back and pulled her closer to him. Nikki's other hand was tangled in his own hair but they had to break away for air and when they did all Harry saw in Nikki's eyes was fear and anger.

"I'm so sorry" she whispered as she turned and rushed from the room leaving a dazed and confused Harry behind her.

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**I'm sorry for not uploading lately. I've just gone back to school after exams and my mind is emploding with the different routine and work etc etc..so I am terribly sorry. :D**

**xxx**


	16. Chapter 16

The next morning was dreadful from Harry's point of view. He and Nikki hadn't spoken since their kiss the night before, probably down to Harry being a coward and going straight to bed after the incident. The next morning they met each other on the landing but Nikki had taken one look at him and rushed into the bathroom to get ready for the day leaving Harry standing feeling very alone all of a sudden in the middle of the hallway. They had avoided each other since then as well and Harry cursed himself for being a coward by doing so. He had left the house straight after his breakfast, completely missing Nikki as she walked down the stairs towards the kitchen as he made his way out of his house.

"Harry are you alright?" Leo's voice cut through his thoughts and Harry jumped slightly and looked up from the corpse he was currently autopsying and nodded slowly then decided to tell the truth so shook his head.

"Not really"

"Do you want to talk about it?" Leo enquired as he walked over to Harry, his own case file in his hand. Harry shook his head again and turned back to the naked body of the male he was investigating.

"No" he said simply "It's alright"

"Well if you want to talk I'll be in my office" Leo paused "Buried under paperwork so please come and talk to me"

Harry chuckled but once again didn't look up from the corpse as he heard Leo walk away and the sound of the double doors opening and closed.

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When Harry walked into his house that evening he walked in on Nikki reading a book on his sofa. She looked up when he walked in a look of shock passed over her face and she stood up quickly.

"No Nikki we need to talk" Harry said forcibly and Nikki, knowing she was defeated, sat back down and started to fiddle with the corner of the book "Why did you run away yesterday?"

Nikki looked confused for a second.

"Why did I run away?" she repeated and Harry nodded "Well because I kissed you" she continued as though it was the most obvious thing in the world "and I realised it was the wrong thing to do"

"Oh" Harry said softly as he sat on the sofa next to her "Why?"

"Because you don't like me like that" Nikki mumbled as she looked down at the book in her hands "You said so yourself"

Harry sighed loudly and ran one hand through his hair as he looked away from her and studied the pattern on his wallpaper quite intently.

"I lied" he whispered and Nikki frowned at him as he refused to look at her.

"You…why?" she asked quietly and Harry looked down at his hands as he started to talk.

"Because I was so scared" he muttered "I mean I've had these feelings for a long time..well since I first met you I think, but then this happened and I didn't want you to think I was taking advantage of your situation by telling you now"

Nikki didn't say anything for a while, her brain trying to catch up with what Harry was telling her. She smiled suddenly and reached out to grasp Harry's hand in hers and he looked up at her quickly as she leant over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I wouldn't think that Harry" she told him and reached up to place her other hand that wasn't entwined with his on his cheek "I know you would never take advantage of me or the situation" she gave him another smile. "and you make me feel so" she paused "wanted and loved that it scared me because I didn't know what I was feeling?"

"What are you feeling?" Harry enquired, realising that that was how Nikki made him feel as well, like she completed him and it had nothing to do with them being best friends. Nikki looked at him for a second then shook her head and looked away.

"It doesn't matter"

"Nikki please?" Harry asked and brought his hand up to her chin to gently turn her head to look at him "Please?"

"I think I love you" she whispered and Harry thought his heart would jump out of his chest when he heard her say those words and he couldn't help the grin that formed on his face and the warm sense of relief that flooded through him.

"You have no idea how long I wanted you to say those words to me" he told her and Nikki's smile grew "and I _know _that I am in love with you"

With this Nikki flung herself at Harry and wrapped her arms around his neck as she cried into his shoulder with relief.

"And if you need more time then I'll wait for you" Harry whispered into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, pressing a soft kiss onto her cheek and holding her close to him, not wanting to ever let her go. "I promise"

"I..I do" Nikki nodded against his shoulder and turned her head so she was looking up at him "Need more time I mean" she paused as if thinking of something "but we can still be together?" she enquired "But I'm not ready for…sex yet"

"God Nikki I wasn't suggesting you were...that we _both_ were" Harry exclaimed "We can still be together and not have sex for the next…I duno..three years, if that's how long it takes you to be ready"

"It probably wont be that long" Nikki giggled and Harry rolled his eyes and held her tighter against him, loving the feeling of them together.

"It was an example" he sighed dramatically and Nikki giggled and reached up to kiss him on the cheek.

"Thank you Harry"

"You are very welcome beautiful" he replied as Nikki lay her head back on his shoulder and closed her eyes a smile on her face.

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**Yes okay the fluff is back. lol! I'm gonna have to work extra hard to get some more angst in now that I've started on the fluffy stuff. :D**

**xxx**


	17. Chapter 17

"Good morning" Harry called out cheerfully as he walked into the kitchen to see Nikki already standing waiting for the coffee to filter through the machine. She gave him a smile which made his heart jump and he walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek before she wrapped her arms around him and lay her head on his chest "Did you sleep well?"

Nikki nodded against him and looked up at him resting her chin on his chest.

"Better than I have in a long time"

"Good" Harry nodded "Probably because you were dreaming of me"

Nikki giggled her eyes shining with laughter as she rolled them.

"You wish"

Harry just shrugged and went to give her another kiss on the cheek but she turned her head at the last minute so the kiss landed on her lips. Instead of pulling back like Harry thought she would, Nikki allowed him to kiss her before pulling away and ruffling up his hair and giving him a smile.

"You have your appointment with the psychologist today" he stated and Nikki's smile faded as she remembered.

"So" she muttered and turned away from him to look at the coffee machine. It was still a sore subject for her to talk about, she didn't like the idea of baring her thoughts and memories of what happened, to a complete stranger who would tell her what her mental state was like. Nikki didn't want, or need, that. She jumped slightly when she felt Harry's arms encircle her waist from behind and heard him whisper 'Sorry' into her ear.

"It's alright" she replied and leant back against him "Will you come with me?" she asked quietly

"Of course" Harry replied quickly "If you want me to, I don't have to if you don't want me to hear what you have to say…"

"No please come" Nikki interrupted "I..I need you there with me. I wont be able to do it on my own"

"Okay" Harry nodded and pressed a kiss onto the top of her head "I'm sure Leo will understand and let me have the day off"

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When Nikki walked out of the psychologists room a few hours later she was fuming. Harry, being the smart person he was, decided to let Nikki cool off before attempting a conversation with her.

"Who the hell does she think she is?" Nikki shouted as they sat in the car at a red traffic light "Talking to me as though she knows me, telling me what I'm feeling before I've even _told_ her just because she's dealt with women who have been through what I have doesn't give her the right to think we are all the same" she made a noise of agitation and Harry reached over with one hand to squeeze hers gently. She turned her head and gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry" she apologised.

"No it's okay" he shook his head and regrettably had to take his hand back when the lights changed colour "You rant all you want"

"At least I can go back to work" Nikki told him and Harry nodded

"Good" he replied "It's been really quiet without you"

"Quiet?" Nikki asked after a few seconds

"Yes" Harry nodded and sent her a grin "There's been no-one to tell me what to do, to laugh at me, to tell me I'm doing things wrong.."

"I do not do that" Nikki gasped and Harry laughed and shook his head

"No really it's been really quiet without you, it'll be good to have you back"

Nikki only smiled at this and turned to look out of the window.

"Are we going to tell Leo about us?" she enquired and Harry stole a glance at her and shook his head.

"Can we keep it to ourselves for now?"

"That's fine" Nikki nodded "I'd like that"

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"Nikki welcome back" Leo greeted as Nikki and Harry walked into his office. He stood up from behind his desk and hugged Nikki who grinned and hugged him back before Leo walked back over to his desk, which was just as Nikki remembered it to be, and picked up a slip of paper. "How are you?"

"I'm better" Nikki nodded, telling him the complete truth "Not back to normal though"

Leo only nodded and handed her the piece of paper with the details of a case written on.

"A case for you as it is your day back" he told her and turned to Harry "You can go with her"

Harry saluted the older man making Nikki laugh and Leo roll his eyes at their antics, it would be good to have Nikki back.

"Come on then" Harry told Nikki "You do remember how to do things don't you"

"Oh ha ha Harry" she said dryly as they said goodbye to Leo and walked out of the office "I haven't been gone that long"

"Well you never know…" Harry muttered as he grinned at Nikki and she reached up to hit him, none to gently, on the arm causing him to pout and rub his arm.

"Aww" Nikki cooed as they walked into the lab corridor "Poor baby"

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**I may upload the next chapter soon because I'm going to see family today, so wont be able to go on a computer for the rest of the day, and need the thought of reviews to get me through the day...I'm not really a sociable person so a family get-together is horrible for me. :(**

**xxx**


	18. Chapter 18

**This chapter contains a mild sex referance...just thought I would warn you. :D**

* * *

Over the next few weeks Nikki got progressively better and felt almost back to full health. Harry had explained to her that the police had enough evidence to charge her kidnapper, they had found his name to be Bill Cartwright who had a history of attacks on women, without Nikki herself having to stand up in court and give evidence. This had cheered Nikki up a lot knowing that she wouldn't have to face him face to face. Nikki had talked to Harry about moving back into her own house but Harry had quickly stopped her and asked her to move in permanently with him. Nikki had rejected his offer at first, thinking he was only doing it for simplicity but had realised quickly that he meant it and had accepted happily. They had told Leo about their relationship after this and he had asked if they were moving too quickly. Both his younger co-workers disagreed and told Leo they were moving slowly in other areas and that moving in together would just help them.

Five months after Nikki's attack and her and Harry's relationship was still going strong, they still hadn't slept together although they shared a bed.

"Harry?" Nikki asked one night when they were laying together in the bed. Harry propped himself up on his elbow and stared down at the woman next to him and brought his other hand to her hair and fiddled gently with a strand of the blonde locks. He nodded to let her know he was listening and she moved her head slightly to get a better look at him. "Do you think we would be together if I wasn't attacked?"

Harry thought for a minute and moved the hand from her hair to drape over her waist.

"I think…" he paused and studied Nikki's face before answering "I think I would have plucked up the courage eventually but not for a while"

"So something good came out of it yes?" Nikki asked and Harry gave her a smile and nodded.

"Yes" he leant down and pressed his lips to hers and Nikki reached up with one hand and ran it through his hair and rested it on the back of his head to hold him down as he tried to break the kiss. Taking the hint Harry kissed her again causing Nikki to moan loudly into his mouth allowing him to deepen the kiss.

"Harry" Nikki gasped through the kiss and placed her other hand on his shoulder "Harry I need you"

Hearing this Harry broke the kiss instantly and looked down at the woman underneath him, both of them breathing heavily.

"Sorry?"

"I want you" Nikki repeated her eyes locked with his "Now" she said more forcibly and Harry frowned.

"Want me where?" he feigned ignorance causing Nikki to groan.

"I want _you_…" she replied and shifted herself against Harry and felt extremely proud of herself when Harry hissed in a breath "Inside me, now"

"Are you sure?" Harry breathed and Nikki rolled her eyes and pulled his head down to kiss him again. This time Harry moaned in surprise and Nikki quickly pulled his baggy t-shirt over his head, breaking the kiss momentarily, and flinging it somewhere across the room. "I love you" Harry whispered as he broke away to unbutton Nikki's pyjama top and kiss across her collar bone causing her to shiver and him to grin.

------

"Are you okay?" Harry asked sometime later as he looked down at the woman underneath him who, to his surprise, laughed slightly.

"Harry I just had the best sex of my life and you ask me if I'm okay?" she giggled and Harry flushed slightly then grinned impishly.

"The best sex of your life?" he asked smugly and Nikki reached up and smacked his naked chest, she herself blushing slightly.

"I just inflated your ego didn't I?" he asked and Harry shrugged slightly and moved so he was laying next to her. He wrapped one arm around her bare waist and pulled her closer to him.

"What man doesn't like being told he just gave his partner the best sex of her life?"

Nikki just rolled her eyes and buried her head in his chest, breathing in his comforting smell. She mumbled something and Harry brought his hand to her head and ran his fingers through her hair.

"I didn't hear that" he mumbled as he pressed lazy kisses on her hair.

Nikki moved her face away from his chest and looked up at him.

"I love you" she whispered and Harry's eyes lit up when he heard her say those three little words.

"You love me?" he mumbled and Nikki nodded and was about to say something when Harry leant down and kissed her passionately causing a moan to escape her lips. "I love you"

"I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you" Nikki told him as she ran her hands over his bare chest causing a shudder to run down his body.

"You don't have to apologise for that Nikki" Harry replied and kissed her again "You just weren't ready to tell me"

"I knew I loved you, I just couldn't say it" Nikki continued and Harry silenced her with yet another kiss.

"Nikki it's alright" he laughed "You don't have to explain yourself"

"You are such an amazing man Harry" Nikki whispered to him and Harry smiled cheekily at her.

"Well it has been said.." he started but Nikki interrupted him.

"Harry just kiss me damn it"

Harry was happy to comply with this order.

* * *

**Well that it folks. I thought I would leave it on a high note with some Harry/Nikki fluff and love. :D**

**Thank you for reading and sticking with this story. Any other plot ideas for another story would be good.**

**xxx **


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